The top one (in the first batch) is pretty close to the one I want. As soon as I sort out my new laptop with it's relevant software I'll do some screengrabs from Project Avalon.

Can't wait for Season 4 on DVD as I need some good shots of Scorpio to play about with. I'd much rather have a model, but there's no kit yet....

Much has been made in fanfic about the accident of casting with Glynis in Avalon. Was it Soolin or one of her relatives? BTW, Steve, did you manage to grab all of that Avalon piece you and some others were writing on here before last year's board crash?

Another terrific peformance by Grief in this one. He looks pretty scary looming over Avalon, helped by the way huis uniform distorts his body.

It's also the first time that you can really see the Star Wars influence. The shoot out with gaurds as Blake and co rescue Avalon is very reminiscent of Han and Luke's laser fight with Storm Troopers outside Leia's cell (maybe Avalon should have asked Blake 'Aren't you a little fat for a Freedpm fighter' ) Even the fact that her resue is actually a trap echoes the storyline of Star Wars.

Is it just my imagination or has Servalan not been mentioned by or addressed to by name yet at this stage? She's always referred to as 'Supreme Commander' though her name is in the credits.

The planet looks really bleak at the beginning with that vast freezing landscape and explains why the resistance has taken to the caves. After Avalon is forced to give herself up, not one of Travis’s troops hesitate to carry out his orders, and the hatred of the Federation builds up and continues with their testing of the new biological weapon. It looks as if Travis plan is just to trap Blake when he tries to rescue Avalon.

When he escapes with Avalon it seems like it’s all over, but there’s now a clever sequence of unexpected events where a lot of feelings come out in the open. Blake realises first that something could be wrong showing he’s every bit as clever as Avon. But Avon, to his credit, doesn’t take the opportunity to challenge him this time and wastes no time checking it and giving his help. Although he might not like it he clearly respects Blake at times like this. They all show the danger a group decision can be sometimes when they logically arrive at suspecting the wrong person. Travis’s real plan is ingenious but Blake, when he realises it, is very quick at thinking up a solution.

I’ll never forget hearing “How many of them are there?” “Just Blake” the first time and thinking Blake had risked too much this time, but Blake remains very cool because he’s confident and knows that it would only go wrong if he gets nervous. All this time Servelan’s authority is challenged by Travis disobedience, but what annoys her more I think, is that by being prepared to risk her life he doesn’t seem to care very much about her on a personal level. She very much wants power through her personality. Although he saves both their lives she still feels hurt. A brilliant ending.

Another terrific peformance by Grief in this one. He looks pretty scary looming over Avalon, helped by the way huis uniform distorts his body.

It's also the first time that you can really see the Star Wars influence. The shoot out with gaurds as Blake and co rescue Avalon is very reminiscent of Han and Luke's laser fight with Storm Troopers outside Leia's cell (maybe Avalon should have asked Blake 'Aren't you a little fat for a Freedpm fighter' ) Even the fact that her resue is actually a trap echoes the storyline of Star Wars.

I see you like Travis 1 then. I must admit, Grief really does play the part supurbly.

Well thinking about it, I suppose the fight scene really attempt to be a wee bit star wars. However lack of budget really does make the sequence slip. However it is still close to my heart._________________"No matter where you are... everyone is always connected." Lain Iwakura

Terry Nation was writing stories like this for Doctor Who long before Star Wars came out in May 1977. It's possible he got ideas from it I suppose but equally all sorts of other people involved with Blakes 7, such as the director, could have just been influenced by the Star Wars fight scenes. Project Avalon has a great plot anyway and it was done very well by Stephan Greif, Gareth Thomas, Glynis Barber - well just everybody.

Greif says in the commentary version of Project Avalon (on the Series One DVD) that he was suffering from a hangover in the scenes shot in the caves, somewhere in Somerset. That must be how to get ready for acting mean, because he's excellent. I was wondering what it means when he says Michael Briant forgot to shoot 'Reverses'.

I see that Bose will still be in business in the 3nd century of the second calender, fittings much like their speakers are in the pipes in the Federation base.

I'm still baffled by the request for a Dr Ellis-Dee over the PA.

One thing that seems odd is how did the robot Avalon's tunic get to where it was found by Gan, & why didn't it break the phial as soon as they came aboard, or did they need to be all in the same room to be infected by it?

Masses to chew on in this episode...
Some observations...
- Travis uses his fave (and maybe only?) plan - get there first and wait
- Avon the nitwit says "We've come at the worst time". Surely the worst conditions would be in the middle of the long cold - not at the beginning. Clearly Avon doesn't get out much. Stick to yer computers, mate!
- Who is being referred to as the "humanoid creatures called subterrons"? I can't be the rebels as they look totally human and hardly "creatures". Maybe the rebels are not native and we simply never see the subterrons? But, then again, why even mention subterrons - they are never referred to again in this whole episode or any other episode.
- B7 Dialog Gem #873: Mutiod: "what if there isn't one in detention?". Travis: "Then detain one."
- This whole "robot as a human" thing raises a few questions.... 1. Why don't the feds ever use this fabulous technology again? 2. Why not replace the stupid, blind and noisy security robots? 3. Doesn't the teleport/liberator/ZEN know what is human and what isn't?
- Travis is realistic and a true professional. He knows the opposition will never and and his response is "However, we shall persevere". Unfortunately he follows this by turning into Basil Exposition and telling Avalon his plan - for the love of Brian, why? He redeems himself later .. he knows Blake well.. "If I know my man" and he's right - only the outcome is not what he wanted. He ultimately underestimates the crew.
- B7 Dialog Gem #109: Vila is "Tired of being indispensable"!!
- I like that our heroes are *wrong*: they think the recently arrived federation ship is there to ship out Avalon.. but really it brings Servelan. Also it takes many tries to find Avalon's cell. Brilliant.
- Servelan is the ultimate politician. She never approves of any plan unless its outcome is certain.
- Excellent plague idea - with its self neutralizing. As with the Avalon robot- a fantastic technology we never see again.
- Blakes "worries" about "Federation troops being highly efficient and well trained...". Who is he kidding? They rarely shoot our heroes and NEVER stop them escaping. Blakes statement goes against all the evidence we have so far.